Share the Road

OK.  This is for all you bicycle riders out there.

We need to Share the Road!  Yeah, I know that a lot of you have got the bumper sticker that says just that but too many of you ignore it.   You take up half the road, run red lights, and don't stop when you should.   You  act like you own the road.   You seem to forget that we are calling for everyone to SHARE the road.   That means us too.

The laws of the state of Tennessee protect us, but they also tell us how to behave when we take our two-wheeled vehicles on the roads.   Like staying to the right side of the road.  And pulling over at the first safe place if 5 or more vehicles are backed up behind us.   Letting cars and trucks know our intentions by using hand signals.

One of the things I do a lot is tell stories.    One of my favorite stories happened almost 38 years ago.  I promise you I'm not embellishing this story--it's good enough to stand on its own.

I was home from college and my summer job had been interrupted by a union strike at the factory where I worked.   I had turned to farming and yard work.

On this particular day, I had been raking hay for Linda Gail Smith on her farm near Philadelphia, Tennessee.  Toward the end of the day, she wanted me to take the tractor into town for repairs.   Back then, Highway 11 through Loudon was a primary route south for much of Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan.

There was one fairly long stretch along Highway 11 where I didn't have room to move my slow-moving tractor off the road and allow cars to pass.   A long line of cars had formed behind me.

At the first opportunity, I pulled off to the side.

Let me paint the picture here.   It was 1974.  A football player who was a weight room regular, my preferred farm clothing was overalls, a sleeveless shirt, a battered cowboy hat, and (yes, admittedly) a cheek full of Red Man. And always several days growth of beard.

On this particular day, I was dirty, sweaty, and tired.  As soon as I pulled off, two "hippies" (long hair, beads, what later became known as John Lennon glasses) pulled over sharply in front of me, jumped out of their lead sled (if old enough, you will remember the type--oversized, big wings on the back), and came back to...oh, I don't know...maybe just to chat.

They weren't real big but they obviously thought that the two of them had the odds on me.

I had spent a lot of time on that tractor and knew it well.   I also knew without looking that just at my left hand was a tool box with a ball peen hammer n it.  Grabbing the hammer, I killed the engine on the tractor but just before it idled down, I popped the clutch. 

Just as that tractor lurched at those boys, I jumped off the tractor with the hammer in my hand.   It must have been their worst nightmare--a big ol' country boy, looking rough and, yes, a bit tough, telling them (in so many words) that they best get back in their vehicle and move on down the road.

Rather quickly, they hopped back in their car, spun their tires, and never looked back.  

My point?   We are on these roads together.   Just like I will insist on my right to ride my bicycles on roads, expecting (and hoping) that cars respect my rights, those of us on bicycles need to respect the rights of those traveling our roads in motorized vehicles.

To fail to do so is pretty dumb, wouldn't you say?

Being Southern

I had the good fortune to recently spend some time with my good friend Turner (better known as Tab) and his girlfriend Jane. Tab has lived all over, has literally travelled the world, and was more recently misplaced (in more ways than one) by Hurricane Katrina.  He ended up in western Georgia, where he found Jane.

Turner looks like Tom Brokaw but has the self-deprecating manner known well in the south.  He also happens to be one of the world's most widely known and respected physical therapists. 

But let me tell you about Jane.   This lovely lady is southern to the core.   She draws out her vowels like every true southerner and turns monosyllable words into something wonderful and melodious. 

During that same trip, my buddy Danny and I were in a restaurant where he was trying to explain "duck on a June Bug" to a Chicago realtor.  That might have taken all night if they hadn't come to tell us that our table was ready.

So all this got me to thinkin' about what it means to be Southern.  You have probably heard these somewhere before but I bet I'll get an "ain't that right" or two out of you on some of them.

True southerners know that the plural for "ya'll" is "all ya'll."  Where we like our tea sweet and don't take offense when somebody calls us darlin' or honey. Where people still say "please" and "thank you" and "yes ma'am" and "no sir" and where we always ask how your folks are doin'.

In the south, if a woman puts her hand on one hip and says "oh heck no," then you better go hide somewhere.  Where we might not have 'em much anymore but we know what front porches and clotheslines are. 

Living in the south means there's probably a pickup truck in your driveway.  Where some of us can hardly wait for a good snow so we can get out in our four-wheel drive vehicle and either try and get stuck or help somebody who just got stuck, although there are some of us who won't venture out on the road at all for fear of the dreaded "black ice."  That latter group will also buy everything in the grocery store at the mere threat of snow.

Southerners know that hushpuppies and catfish (always fried) naturally go together.  Where what folks elsewhere call soda or pop, we call coke.  Around here we love Richy Kreme but in the rest of the south, Krispy Kreme is one of the five basic food groups. 

Where we can taste the difference between home-grown and store-bought tomatoes.  We buy "sweet milk" and "light bread" (and if you don't know those, ask a Southerner) and know the units of measure known as "just a dab" and "a mess."

In the south we know where both grits and hominy come from and that you never fry red tomatoes but that green tomatoes were made for frying.

Where we might say you live "out in the country" or "on down the road a bit" and know what it means when the directions include "a right far piece."

Where we know that "fixin" can be a verb, noun, or adverb and that if somebody tells you that they're fixin to pitch a "hissie fit", you know to leave the room.

Southerners might speak slow and seem to "cogitate" on things too long but if you take our intelligence, our drive, or our ambition for granted, you're gonna end up on the bottom of the heap.

Bless your heart, Jane.  I'm glad to make your acquaintance.  Happy birthday, Turner.  You found a keeper!

Global Warming?

I'm currently in Chicago.  Got here Tuesday and going home Saturday.  Although winters in the Windy City are legendary--legendarily cold, that is--it really hasn't been that bad.  22 this morning but some snow expected in the next couple of days.

Usually this time of year it is twenty below and forty below with the wind chill factor blowing off Lake Michigan.   I brought enough cold weather gear to spend a month in an igloo but so far haven't needed much of it.  

Back home in Tennessee, we haven' had much winter weather at all and spring seems to be peeking around the corner. 

I was sitting with my granddaughter Kaitlyn last week after having just shared some of my world-famous Mickey Mouse pancakes when my wife made some comment about it being winter.

Kaitlyn, somewhat precocious and certainly smarter than her maternal grandfather, corrected her.  "No, Bebe, it's spring."

Being the responsible grandparents that we are, we used this as a teaching moment.  We talked about the seasons and the tilt of the earth away from the sun in the northern hemisphere and that this is what makes it colder this time of year. 

Despite her advanced intelligence (really), she didn't understand all that.  What she knew was that it was warm outside and the grass was still mostly green.  And the Camellia bush had blooms on it and no we really can't even think about jumping in the swimming pool.

But...if you think about it...she really may have a point.   I mean, it was in the 50's, overcast but still a quite nice day.  A day when short sleeve shirts were not completely out of the question.

It hadn't been really cold in a while and a snowflake wouldn't have a chance.  So maybe it is spring.   Out of the mouths of babes and all that.

But the calendar still said January.   So what's going on?

I know it's arguable and I really want to be wrong about this but I'm convinced that part of the culprit is global warming.  

Yes, I know about seasonal cycles and all that and maybe we had a similar period of warming 20,000 years ago but I've seen enough evidence to know that there may be some truth to it.

There are some things that we know.  Take the ozone layer:  It has never been narrower.  And the ozone layer protects the earth from the sun, essentially keeping it cooler.

We know that carbon emissions, mostly from the cars we drive, are at an all-time high.  And we know that carbon emissions deplete the ozone layer.  So increased carbon emissions = ozone depletion, wouldn't you think?

Glaciers that have been around for thousands of years have simply disappeared.   The polar ice caps are shrinking.  I think those things are beyond argument.

I will acknowledge that this is disputable but what if it isn't?   What if we are destined have a climate that is more akin to that expected in LA (lower Alabama)?  What if we don't have much winter in Tennessee anymore?  What could all this do to our agriculture infrastructure?

I, for one, would see it as a tragedy. And something that could change our lives dramatically. 

Insanity defined

I don't think I have a problem with road rage.   I really don't.  

Oh, I've seen it in action.  My father-in-law seemed to capture the market on road rage.  He used to wish for a bazooka to use on those that would cut him off in traffic.

I get impatient from time to time and if you're really stupid when you drive I might utter a disparaging remark or three but I never want to take somebody out.   I've occasionally tooted my horn at somebody but even that is pretty rare.

But just the other day, a twenty-something ran a red light, pulled out in front of me, and never looked.  While smoking and talking on the phone. 

If it hadn't been for my stellar reflexes, good brakes, and tires with reasonable tread on them, I would certainly have t-boned her.

So when I pull up next to her at the next red light, I tried to get her attention.  Just a gentle wave, really.  Not to say anything ugly but to remind her to be safe on the road.  But she was too preoccupied to notice my waving.

It wasn't long ago when we heard once again about a legislative mandate that would prohibit the use of cell phones while driving.   Since I use the cell phone to work while I travel, I'm not really in favor of that.   I use a hands-free device, which to me renders my phone conversations no more "distracted" than talking to another passenger in the vehicle. 

But research indicates that I might be wrong and this driver may change my mind.   If we all have to do without our cell phones while driving just to keep her off the streets, then so be it.

There is little doubt that distracted driving is dangerous.   A 2010 study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that 995 people were killed in 2009 because of cell phone use. 

A University of Utah study examined cell phone use by using a driving simulator.  They found that motorists using either hand held or hands-free cell phones were 9% slower to hit the brakes and concluded that they were more likely to crash.   They also found that there was no difference between those that used hand held phones and those that used hands-free devices. 

Other studies have compared distracted driving because of cell phones to driving drunk.  The evidence is not something those of us that drive while talking on the phone want to hear about. 

So on this fateful day with this particular driver, I conducted my own research.

Let's see...talking on the phone (hand held device), smoking, driving, not paying attention to traffic.  The Joe Black Institute for Safer Driving has concluded that this driver was crazy.   That the chances that she will be involved in a traffic accident within the next 24 hours was extremely high.

Driving is, by itself dangerous enough.   Throw in talking on the cell phone and the risk is increased.  Smoking, eating, reading, putting on makeup, yelling at the kids in the back seat...throw in any of those and it becomes ludicrous.   I'm gonna call it "multiple-distraction" driving and it is crazy and irresponsible.  

 The debate may rage for a long time about just what the impact of driving while talking on the cell phone may be.   And judging from an informal survey I conducted at a later date (at least half of drivers I encountered on my way home from work were on the cell phone), pretty much everybody does it.

 So you can conduct your own research and reach your own conclusions.   But the next time I see somebody doing anything more than driving and talking on the phone, I'm pulling over.

Caroline Haynes: One Remarkable Lady!

Caroline Haynes won another tennis championship recently.  This one was the Southern Sectionals.  She won both the singles and doubles championships. 

No one will be surprised:  Caroline makes a habit of winning tennis championships.   She is our most accomplished tennis player.  She has been nationally ranked for many years and competes in singles and doubles all across the country.

She has been THE driving force for tennis in this community for a long time.  Only the late Jack Murphy has had near the influence on tennis here that Caroline has.

But here's the thing...this is one she hadn't won.  In the singles finals, she beat the person that beat her last year.  And Caroline beat her soundly, 6-2, 6-1.   And along the way, she beat others easily that she has had trouble with in previous years. 

I did a column on Caroline several years ago, describing her as being 65, looking 45, and playing like she was 25.   Nothing has changed.   She still looks younger and plays better than most people around here at any age.

At an age (74) when most people see retirement as the chance to slow down, take life easy, Caroline is turning it up a notch or three. 

And in that Southern Sectionals singles championship?  Her opponent was 69. 

This was a really big tournament.   It bodes well for Caroline's chance for a national championship.    She has since also competed in an international doubles tournament in Vancouver and lost a tough finals match.

So what is different?   Why at 74 is Caroline still getting better?

Several months ago, Caroline came to me and asked me to recommend what she could do to improve her game.   She and I have had a professional relationship for many years.  It has been my job to keep her healthy and competing. 

Most of the time, I was treating a variety of injuries.  This time it was to help her with her game.

What I found was that Caroline needed better core strength.   My recommendation was CrossFit.  She soon started working with CrossFit instructor Steve Bright.

I've written about CrossFit here a couple of times.  CrossFit is a program of exercise that falls under the classification of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).   It focuses on exercises that involve multiple joints, is short in duration, and (obviously) high in intensity. 

It isn't easy and it isn't for everyone.   There are other forms of HIIT, most notably P90X.   There is solid evidence that HIIT is very effective in developing much better overall fitness.   And it is very effective in developing core strength.

Too often, athletes mistakenly believe that the key to success is to just work harder at their sport.  In other words, to get better at tennis you simply need to play more tennis.

Not so.   You need flexibility, skills, fitness, and, yes, core strength.   Ask Caroline.  As my daddy used to say, the proof is in the puddin'.

New Year's Day Column: Welcome, 2012

It's New Years Day!   New Year.  New day.  New beginnings.

So what are you going to do in 2012?  What are your resolutions?  Is this the year that you do everything right?

Like exercise regularly?   Regular exercise may be the best thing you could do for yourself and it is the solution for so many of the things that plague us.  Everything from the obvious (obesity, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure) to the subtle (depression, anxiety, fibromyalgia, glaucoma).

Staying fully engaged in an exercise program isn't easy.   To use a cliche, if it were, everyone would do it.   But with proper motivation and commitment, you can do it.

I'd like to give you a few hints on how to make it work for you.

First, find an exercise partner.   Being accountable for your exercise is huge.    If you rely only on your own will power, you will occasionally fail.   If you are meeting someone for a run, workout, or bike ride, you will find fewer excuses.

And excuses are everywhere and easy to find.   More on that later.

A partner also makes it more fun and if it is fun, you are much more likely to do it.  And whether you want to admit it or not, everyone has a competitive nature, which means an exercise partner will make you work harder and get more out of your exercise. 

I highly recommend exercising in the morning.   Yeah, yeah, I know...you're not a "morning" person.  But remember that thing about excuses?  Exercising in the morning takes away lots of excuses.

As the day goes along, you find more and more excuses.  You planned to exercise during your lunch hour but you forgot to pack your lunch so you've got to go get something to eat.  Or you don't really have time since you will have to shower and all.   I mean, you can't go back to work with a wet head. 

Or maybe you plan on working out after work.   But then you work late or forgot to pack your clothes or you are really tired and just need a break or there are a million things that your family needs from you.

See?   As the day goes on, the excuses just get easier.    So exercise at the first of the day.  Get it done and minimize the excuses.  Besides that, morning exercise will bump your metabolism up, helping you burn more calories throughout the day and will make your day much more productive (it's been thoroughly proven).

To stay engaged, you've got to have some element of fun to your exercise.  Or at least make it interesting.  Just how many hours can you spend on a stationary bicycle or treadmill?  

The joy of sport engages some.   Bicycling on our beautiful country lanes.   Running the Greenbelt.  Hoops with some buddies.  Tennis, swimming, hiking...we live in an area that gives us incredible options.  For some, it is all about competition, even if the competitor is yourself.   Trying to beat your best time in a 10K?   Or win the league championship?

You've got to have variety in our exercise program.   The same thing, day after day, cannot be sustained.

You can't wake up in the morning and try and decide when you might exercise that day.   Your exercise program has to be a part of your daily routine.   If it's 6 AM on a Thursday, you know that you are going to be in the gym (or whatever schedule works for you).

And your commitment cannot be for a finite time.   You can't say "I'll do this for 3 months and see what happens."  No, it must be a part of the lifestyle that you adopt.

Christmas Day Column

It's Christmas morning.   My wish is that you have a wonderful day today.  I hope it is filled with family and food and friends.  It is a day to celebrate and remember.

I know that for some it is a difficult day.   Those going through their first Christmas without a loved one might find it a harsh day.   Still others might be more worried about food on the table and a roof over their head.  The absence of gifts under the tree.

I hope those of us that "have" are helping those that "have not" today.   Honorable pursuits like the Empty Pantry Fund do just that.  May we also remember to do so the rest of the year.

I guess it isn't really "politically correct" to talk about Christmas.  But does "politically correct" mean that you don't say or do anything that represents an idea or belief that someone might disagree with?  

I don't think so.  I believe that it means that you are sensitive to those that might have different religious, social, or political views from yourself.  Not that you abandon your own.

It means that I wish my Jewish friends Happy Hanukah (and that I understand that Yom Kippur is a much bigger event for them).   It means that when my Muslim friends stop for prayer, that I am quiet and respectful.

But we live in a community that celebrates Christmas.   And that's OK.  If you are on my Christmas card list, you will notice that it doesn't say "Happy Holidays."  No, it says Merry Christmas.

Our country's founders established a nation based on religious freedom.  That means that you can practice your religion as you see fit.  It also means that I get to do the same. 

It means that we don't have to always agree with our neighbors.   Heck, I don't always agree with my lovely spouse of 35 years but we do manage to get along (quite nicely, thank you very much).   To function as a society, we are obligated to tolerance.  To grow strong as a society, we must embrace our differences. 

I am thankful to live in a community where the good ol' boy and the college professor can live side by side and together make this a better place.  I appreciate a community that demonstrates great diversity yet manages to stay focused on the really important stuff like education, health, and quality of life.

Christmas  is, above all else, a religious holiday.   Sure, it's one filled with gifts and lights and maybe (certainly) too much consumption.   But it is also a time when most of us stop to think about what we believe in, to love on our families, and to appreciate our many gifts (and not just those wrapped under the tree).

Today, I wish for you a Merry Christmas.